Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this week gave in-principle approval to a detailed project plan by Rally for Rivers for the revitalisation of the Waghari river in Yavatmal district. The district, located in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, has seen significant agrarian distress in the recent few years.

A Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed to execute the project with maximum efficiency.

The project will focus on supporting farmers with community micro-irrigation, tree-based agriculture, farm producer organisations (FPOs), market development and crop diversification, the release further said.

Jaggi Vasudev, the founder of Isha Foundation and the face of the 'Rally for Rivers' campaign, said, "In less than a year since the Rally for Rivers awareness generation phase culminated, the Maharashtra government has shown extraordinary commitment and interest in revitalising the state's rivers through plantation on riparian lands. It's heartening to see the speed and commitment with which the chief minister and forest minister of Maharashtra have approved the detailed project report for revitalisation of the Waghari river in Yavatmal, which is the epicentre of India's painful farmer suicide story.”

A statement put by the Twitter handle of the chief minister's office said that the cost of the project is Rs 985 crore, and is expected to be completed in five years.

"This project aims to provide sustainable irrigation and better environment which will result into significant rise in the farm produce by farmers and their income," the statement further says.

The campaign 'Rally for Rivers' aims to create mass awareness and garner support of the people for a government policy on this issue. The Isha Foundation has collaborated with over 25 scientists and lawmakers, including Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, for this initiative.